Spacelog Mercury 7

Going to transmit to—record only, at this time.

The weightless condition is a blessing, nothing more, nothing less.

I am now photographing large cloud banks over the Pacific on a southerly direction.

I'm drifting slowly to retroattitude at this time.

Hello, Guaymas Com Tech. Aurora Seven. Loud and clear. How me?

Roger. Aurora Seven, this is Guaymas Cap Com. How me? Over.

Roger, Guaymas, loud and clear. My control mode is now fly-by-wire; gyros are caged, I'm in— maneuver is off. I'll go to automatic mode directly. My status good; the capsule status is good. The fuel is 69-69 [percent], oxygen is 88-100 [percent]. The cabin steam vent has gone to plus 10, I believe that's a bad gage reading, and suit temperature steam vent is coming down slowly, now reading 68 [degrees]. Over.

Roger. Understand 68 [degrees]. How is your temperature comfort? Over.

Roger. My body comfort is good. I am tracking now a very small particle, one isolated particle, about—there is another, very small, could be a light snowflake.

Roger. We're reading—we're having a—a bad body temperature reading on you, 102.4 [degrees], probably erroneous.

I can't believe it. My suit temperature shows 60 [degrees] and I feel quite comfortable. I'm sure I would be sweating more than this if my temperature were 102 [degrees].

Your suit-inlet temperature, near 61 [degrees], so it looks pretty good.

Roger.

Roger. It looks like we have a go for the second orbit as everything appears all right for you.

Roger. I was hoping you'd say that, Gordo.

You start to conserve your fuel a bit and maybe, perhaps, use a little more of your manual fuel.

Roger. Can do.

Roger, are you ready for Z and R cal?

Roger, send them.

Z cal coming on now.

And, mark, coastal passage.

Say again.

Mark, coastal passage coming over the—Baja.

Good.

How does it look?

Loud and clear. I'm going back to HF/UHF.

Roger.

Are you ready for your 2 Bravo time?

Roger. Send 2 Bravo.

01 49 30.

Roger. 01 49 30.

Roger. And 2 Charlie time is nominal.

Okay. Stand by one.

Okay, Gus, my status is good; my control mode is fly-by-wire; the gyros are still caged; maneuver is off. Fuel is 62 and 68 [percent]. A little ahead on fuel consumption; fuel quantity light is on; the excess cabin-water light is on. I'll try and get auto mode here directly.

Roger. Can you give us a blood pressure?

Roger. Blood pressure coming now.

And after the IOS voice has dropped, will use Zanzibar in that area.

Roger. I heard IOS calling, but I couldn't raise him.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, use a normal balloon release.

Roger.

And are you going to give me a mark for that?

Roger. One at an elapsed time of 01 37.

01 37. Roger.

Roger. In 2 minutes, Echo will be almost directly overhead.

Roger.

Could you give us a cabin steam and suit temperature, please?

Roger. Suit steam is 69 [degrees] and cabin is plus 11. That dropped down very suddenly when the excess cabin-water light came on. I think I'm going to—increase . . . I'll try to increase suit-water flow one more time. If that doesn't work I'll drop—down—to closed and start over again.

Aurora Seven, cut back your cabin water.

Okay. Cabin water going back. I'll start now at two. This is 20 degrees below launch value.

Roger. I'm going to give you a Z cal.

Roger.

Okay. I'm going to give you an R cal.

Be my guest.

Aurora Seven, Cap Com. Do you read?

Roger. Loud and clear.

Roger. Everything looks good down here, except for your fuel usage; you better watch that a little bit.

Roger.

Aurora Seven, have you deployed the balloon?

That is negative. Stand by.

Balloon deploy, now. The balloon is out and off. I, I see it way out, but it—I think now it is way out, and drifting steadily away. I don't see the line. I don't see that any attempt was made to inflate the thing. It's just drifting off.

I have only the rectangular shape tumbling at this point about 200 yards back, barely visible; and now wait, here is a line. That was the cover, the balloon is out.

Understand. The balloon is out.

That is Roger.

There is very little acceleration here.

Aurora Seven, did the balloon inflate?

The balloon is partially inflated. It's not tight. I've lost it at this moment. Wait one, I'll give you a better reading shortly.

There is an oscillation beginning.

This is an oscillation in the balloon?

Yes.